Intrinsically rewarding pursuits

Henrik Karlson on the childhoods of exceptional people:

Blaise Pascal, too, was homeschooled by his father. His father chose not to teach him math. (The father, Etienne, had a passion for mathematics that he felt was slightly unhealthy. He feared mathematics would distract Pascal from less intrinsically rewarding pursuits, such as literature, much like modern parents fear TikTok.)

From his Substack, Escaping Flatland.